Maine

[suzMEchicks]

Just read up on DE. Interesting. Do we worry about lice and mices in winter too?

 

[lazy gardener]

I'd be most concerned about lice, as they would be nice and warm snuggled into the chicken's feathers. Re: mites, not sure, But my guess is that they will winter over, and come out of hiding when ever the weather is warm enough. I've heard that they can survive 10 months between feedings. Experts? Experience?

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I'm glad I'm getting Nigerians, then! They'll still probably try to wreak havoc, but I'd like my underwear to stay in my pants, thank you very much.

Probably TMI, but I'm going to go for it anyway... I don't wear shorts. Unless it's really truly 95 degrees out or hotter, which is only about 2-3 days a year. I don't own shorts, so I just wear a pair of BF's boxers. The goats LOVE it when I wear those, they're so much easier to pull down. They also love to pull off my hats, gloves, etc, so they're not just underwear eaters.

Cold frames are very easy to build, and pretty cheap too- you don't need much lumber, and there are always windows somewhere for free- either on the side or the road, or maybe on craigslist. I had a great little one that got snowed on and then destroyed by the plow man last year.

I found a cute little grow box pattern for using a piece of plywood, some hardware and your choice of "window" (we used plexiglass). You'll need a handsaw and a way of clamping it (we already own pipe clamps) but it looks like this:





It was pretty cheap to make, with exception of the plexiglass. You could probably also use the hoop house plastic, but I wanted to have a clearer view on it, and have it be more stable so I sprung for the plexiglass. It can get really hot in there on a pretty cool, but sunny day. Our hoop house plastic did not survive its second winter - it is a tattered version of its glorious former self.

 

[buckabucka]

I love the goat stories! They sound even more entertaining than chickens.

What a crazy day. I'm glad I have a pair or "icers", so I can walk around out there. So far, it appears that the "moat" we dug around the hoop coop has prevented any flooding. The run attached to the more traditional coop has areas of deep water, though. Most of the outdoor flock block was ruined. I had to use a pick-ax to chip the ice away and make the run door swing open again (anyone still in run-planning stages, make the door open IN, not out, like we did!). The run water should freeze overnight. I've got a pile of leaves ready to spread.

 

[Mainechick168]

It's a wise wife who can plant an idea and nurture it until DH comes to the conclusion that he's just come up with the most brilliant idea! Saves a lot of time and frustration!

AH I love this!

 

[mlowen]

No luck on straight DE for mites. Frontline is the way to go! Am using wood ash/DE combo in nesting boxes & dusting box. My poor Sizzle, Janice, is getting her head feathers plucked out. Was thinking of putting NuStock on her but didn't dare for fear of frostbite. Any thoughts?

I had a tail feather eater (there was an open sore & I was worried about more "cannibalism") and used BlueKote on the tail. Stopped whoever it was plucking. It dries pretty fast. I think I'd use it on a warmish day, so it could be dry before temps fell or spray it on inside & take her out when it was dry.

 

[Mainechick168]

Probably TMI, but I'm going to go for it anyway... I don't wear shorts. Unless it's really truly 95 degrees out or hotter, which is only about 2-3 days a year. I don't own shorts, so I just wear a pair of BF's boxers. The goats LOVE it when I wear those, they're so much easier to pull down. They also love to pull off my hats, gloves, etc, so they're not just underwear eaters.


I found a cute little grow box pattern for using a piece of plywood, some hardware and your choice of "window" (we used plexiglass). You'll need a handsaw and a way of clamping it (we already own pipe clamps) but it looks like this:





It was pretty cheap to make, with exception of the plexiglass. You could probably also use the hoop house plastic, but I wanted to have a clearer view on it, and have it be more stable so I sprung for the plexiglass. It can get really hot in there on a pretty cool, but sunny day. Our hoop house plastic did not survive its second winter - it is a tattered version of its glorious former self.

OMG your cold frame is WAAAY prettier than mine was! Scraps of wood, old window, random hardware.... BUT...I suppose it still worked. Maybe if I had painted mine the **** ( lots of mean words) plow man would not have wrecked it. Mine was shorter too...I just had lettuce in it.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I put all kinds of plants in it - the tomatoes grow really fast in it so it needs to be tall.

We had a lot of flooding here - all the water came into the garage, the path of least resistance. Dug a couple of canals out and scooted the water out of the garage and to a canal. The driveway is an iy disaster again. This winter has been... interesting. I can't wait to see what we get next - a plague of... ?

 

[dowgirl71]

Didn't let mine out today because I have a feeling I'd find 20 frozen chickens in a walk-in freezer (aka my barn) when I came home from work!

Kept mine in, today, for the same reason, but they probably wouldn't have gone out, anyway. Their outside run is now a "farm pond." Something kinda' funny about the "frozen thing." I've noticed on several mornings when I go out that at least one (sometimes both) of my BOs have some slightly frosty feathers on their backs. I figured it out the other day. It's how they sleep with their beaks tucked into those areas. So funny!

 

[NorthChicken]

Ugh, my chicken run is a pond as well. Tried to scoop out as much water as possible, but it was a losing battle. And as I listen to the wind howling and know the temperature is dropping, I know it's going to be a skating rink in the morning. Hopefully some hay or shavings will help.